While Eating
When eating rice, please do not put soy sauce in the rice. If you must, dip the rice portion in the soy sauce. When eating sashimi, start with the leanest fish first and dip it in soy sauce. Do not shake the soy sauce off the fish. It can be seen as rude. However, when eating meals like ramen or noodles, slurping is actually encouraged to show how delicious a meal is.
Finish Your Meal
Finish all of your food if you can. It is seen as disrespectful to the chef to not eat everything on your plate, including every last grain of rice. This is hard,
especially for people who do not physically eat much but as long as you do your best to clean your plate that is what matters. Note, there is no tipping in Japan.
Chopsticks or "O-hashi"
Chopsticks are to be treated with respect. Do not place them stick straight in your rice as this is done at funerals. Place your chopsticks over your plate or bowl when you are finished eating, or next to your bowl if you are not yet finished.
Street Food Etiquette
Street food is sold on many corners in Japan and is very clean and delicious. Please do NOT eat and walk as it is seen as rude. You must take the street food, eat it next to the stall, and then throw the trash away in their designated trash area.